In A Garden Of Weeds, Perchance A Rose?
by Max the bish deliverer
Summary: The Rose. A flower often revered for its beauty and its defense. Just her luck, she had to die as well...


Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
  
Title: In A Garden Of Weeds, Perchance A Rose?  
  
Pairing: Roy/Ai Attempted  
  
Author: Max

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Author's Note: Set after Manga Chapter 37 with that nice wonderful cliff-hanger. Some parts are fanart inspired and feedback would be wonderful. Constructive feedback, pending that this will be a chaptered attempt that won't exactly be updated like clock-work. You have your warning.

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He had been following her for months.

Watching.

Waiting.

Observing his prey in anticipation for that one moment when he could snap her away from the protection offered by the Flame Alchemist. When he couldn't watch her, he would gather information that he could use and learn about her.

He learned about the four transfer commands that she never received, because they had been intercepted and canceled by a certain Colonel Roy Mustang in exchange for just a few more months of her aide. He had observed the way the Colonel would merely gesture for his right-hand woman and she would immediately know what he needed or wanted.

He knew about the way she somewhat patronized the Colonel, who on the outside never appeared to mind, and was feared by other members of the military, but he loved her for it.

He loved her for the challenge she lent him as he pursued her during her missions, only to take up his post where she couldn't exactly see him observing her work.

He had gotten to know her enough to love her.

Loved her enough to begin to hate the fact that he had to kill her.

When the first droplets hit her nose, First Lieutenant Hawkeye fought the urge to look up into the black sky for fear of losing her focus. But she gave into the incredible urge to sigh as she peered through her rifle's scope down at Jan and the honored guest. After taking out the Homunculous behind her, which wasn't as easy as she had made it look; she had an order to finish.

Plugging the experiment known as Gluttony full of holes was more satisfying then she'd care to admit as she saw her Colonel come into her sight range. After she had tossed her headset in exchange for kindly escorting one honored guest to the gates of Hell, she was almost positive that he turned frantic.

But she'd never hear him admit that willingly.

Judging from the clenched fists, she could easily deduce two things. One that he wasn't nearly as concerned as he was panicked. Two, she was going to have a bit of explaining to do after this mission had been completed. With the scope trained on Havoc and Falmen, she watched as the black-masked Jan motioned to her position and waved playfully.

That idiot. He had no idea who might have witnessed what had taken place, but then again, he never really cared about the workings of a mission as long as they were completed.

Whatever he aimed to accomplish, he succeeded as her sight drifted to the left where the Colonel's fists were now relaxed. The last thing the situation needed was an angry Flame Alchemist. Who happened to be quite useless when it rained.

Looking away from her scope, she reached back for the derelict headset and donned it, only to be greeted with an angry sounding query.

"Hawkeye, what the hell happened?"

"It's fine, sir. Just a small tussle," she wasn't going to mention that Gluttony tried to take a bite out of her leg, thus resulting in a scrape that had her slightly concerned. That would only force him to actually come up to insist on her returning to base, which, in her state, she clearly was not in the mood to do.

"Are you sure?" Came the- was that concern she heard- baritone voice she hadn't expected. Even though he came off as suave and debonair, she felt that if he really wanted something from her, he'd have to try harder. Voice alone wasn't going to cut it with her, she knew him too well.

"Positive," she quipped, taking up her position once more and wincing in pain before checking the scope once more, just in time to see her Colonel approaching her position.

_Of course_ He didn't' believe her even after she told him that the situation was fine. Riza grimaced when she went over the way she had relayed that information.

She should have known to have schooled her words because he'd be paying attention to how she responded, otherwise he wouldn't be in the position he was now.

How stupid of her.

Then again, she could have blamed that damned instinct of his that just drew him to trouble like fire does a moth. With the added fact that he was entering the building, the danger factor wasn't nearly as high as it should have been.

Flipping the hood back and sighing once she realized that she was rather soaked regardless of the cloak, Riza turned her attention to her weapon. Lovingly disassembling the rifle piece by piece, she had just started tucking the pieces into their respective sockets when she heard Fury exclaim, "Colonel Mustang!"

Slipping the last piece into the rifle case, she then shut it, locking both clasps and then standing in standard position.

"At ease, First Lieutenant, what the hell happened?" He motioned toward the barely moving mess that was Gluttony, before flicking his fingers. The post already stank of death and gunpowder, sulphur wasn't going to add to the stench, just overpower it.

"Got too close, Sir." She answered coolly, pausing to stifle the shudder that ran through her as she felt the blood run down her leg.

Maybe the wound was worse then she thought, but she would take care of it when she got back to her quarters. Now if only she stayed in the shadows, they could get out of here with little to no resistance at all.

Then again, Colonel Mustang knew to be observant when he smelled blood. Peering into the shadows, he could see the blood-splattered jacket, but aside from that, nothing to be concerned over.

He had been in a state of panic when she didn't respond, but then it was all over nothing.

That bothered him. "Dismissed, Hawkeye." He growled out before raking his eyes over her form once more.

For a fleeting second, she had reminded him of one of those abandoned kittens that Alphonse liked sneaking into the office. Especially if they were left in the rain, soaked and looking not nearly as large as they did when they were dry. But that was where the similarities ended, because those kittens weren't splattered with more blood then they were mud and other debris.

He waited for her to salute before returning the routine gesture and motioning for her to lead the way.

Wait a minute.

His attention was drawn from the soaked figure in front of him to the fact that she just hesitated. "Beauty before age, Hawkeye, now grab your case, better yet, let Fuery get it, and let's move."

"Sir, yes sir," she nodded before walking passed him.

There it was, he noticed as he saw a flash of crimson soaking blue. Snorting as she passed, he waited a second before reaching out for her cape's oddly wet hem and yanking backwards with it.

It would have gotten him killed if she had been up to par, but for the strangest reason, his "talisman" was out of it.

Although, after he considered what he hadn't heard through her headset, since that was the precise reason he was there to begin with, he figured that she had a right to be distracted.

Just not around him.

Riza yelped and fell backwards into her superior. Observance be damned, she wasn't exactly out to win points for grace, now was she?

Her leg throbbed for attention as she felt warm arms clasp around her damp waist.

Red flags waved frantically in her mind as she glanced to her side quickly, reveals a shock of black hair as her colonel had dropped his head on her shoulder in a semi-protective, semi-something else she couldn't quite place, gesture. Letting her commander do what he pleased, she gasped as he held her tight enough for her to stop walking and then pulled her up against him.

Well, so much for the rules against fraternization, she mused as hot ragged breaths sank over her shoulder and down her half-bare arms.

The arms tightened even more to still her against him.

He had been so scared.

He had been terrified that her death was his punishment for digging too deep this time around.

He didn't want her loyal blood on his hands as he tried to stop whatever the hell was going on, but he had been so scared when she got cut off.

Not that he'd admit it out loud, or in secret, just not now and probably not ever will he admit to that confession. He'd be the laughing stock of the military, but it'd be worth it.

Not while he still had proof that she was standing right in front of him. Until he felt her right in front of him, where she had always said she'd be. Where he felt that she should have been.

Letting out a ragged breath that he had been unconsciously holding, Roy Mustang began to pick up the pieces of his semi-wounded pride as he let his stunned lieutenant go.

Swallowing a lump in his throat and looking skyward to avoid the brown eyes that he had feared he'd never see again, he asked about the "guest" and then called for Havoc and Falman to join them.

No one really paid attention to the fact that they had a witness.

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To be continued.  



End file.
